Introducing the First Management Control Systems: Evidence from the Retail Sector
研究美国零售商首次投资管理控制系统时引入的四种类型（基础型、成本型、收入型、风险型），发现企业战略影响其选择，且选择与战略匹配的企业绩效更好。
Focusing on a sample of U.S. retailers, I study the management control systems (MCS) that firms introduce when they first invest in controls, and identify four categories of initial MCS, which are defined in terms of the purposes these MCS fulfill. The first category, “Basic MCS,” is adopted to collect information for planning, setting standards, and establishing the basic operations of the firm. The other three categories are contingent on more specific purposes: “Cost MCS” focus on enhancing operating efficiencies and minimizing costs; “Revenue MCS” are introduced to foster growth and be responsive to customers; and “Risk MCS” focus on reducing risks and protecting asset integrity. I hypothesize and find that the choice among these categories reflects the firms' strategy, and that firms that choose initial MCS better suited to their strategy perform better than others.